U.S. patent number 7,116,968 [Application Number 10/511,542] was granted by the patent office on 2006-10-03 for method and network system for charging a roaming network subscriber.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Nokia Corporation. Invention is credited to Juha-Pekka Koskinen, Janne Siren, Juha Vallinen.
United States Patent |
7,116,968 |
Koskinen , et al. |
October 3, 2006 |
Method and network system for charging a roaming network
subscriber
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and network system for
charging an account related to a terminal device (1) of a
subscriber (A) to a first data network (10) for a network session
rendered to the terminal device when roaming in a second data
network (18). According to the method of the invention, upon
registration of the terminal device to the second (visited) data
network a network address of a first charging system (16) related
to the home data network (10) of the terminal device (1) is
transmitted from the home data network to the visited data network
(18). When a network session is established for the terminal device
(1) by the second data network, assessing of charge information
about the network session will begin in the second data network in
a real-time process. The saved network address of the charging
system will be used for transmitting in real-time the assessed
charge information from the second data network to the first
charging system (16). The first charging system will calculate the
charge for the network session using incoming charge information
from the second network. The account related to the terminal device
(1) will be charged so that the balance of the account is reduced
by the charged amount.
Inventors: |
Koskinen; Juha-Pekka
(Hameenlinna, FI), Vallinen; Juha (Nokia,
FI), Siren; Janne (Lempaala, FI) |
Assignee: |
Nokia Corporation (Espoo,
FI)
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Family
ID: |
29266741 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/511,542 |
Filed: |
April 25, 2002 |
PCT
Filed: |
April 25, 2002 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/IB02/01384 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
October 18, 2004 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO03/092317 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
November 06, 2003 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20050181757 A1 |
Aug 18, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/406; 455/408;
379/114.01; 370/353 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M
15/00 (20130101); H04M 15/8033 (20130101); H04M
15/8038 (20130101); H04M 17/00 (20130101); H04W
4/24 (20130101); H04M 2215/22 (20130101); H04M
2215/32 (20130101); H04M 2215/34 (20130101); H04M
2215/7435 (20130101); H04M 2215/7442 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04M
11/00 (20060101); H04L 12/66 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;455/406-409,432.1,435.1,405
;370/338,352-356,389,401-404,420,442,351 ;379/114.01 ;709/201,203,2
;705/40 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1 065 838 |
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Jan 2001 |
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EP |
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2 350 017 |
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Nov 2000 |
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GB |
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WO 99/56492 |
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Nov 1999 |
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WO |
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WO 00/45611 |
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Aug 2000 |
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WO |
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WO 00/69201 |
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Nov 2000 |
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WO |
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Primary Examiner: Appiah; Charles N.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Squire, Sanders and Dempsey,
LLP
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A method for charging an account related to a terminal device of
a subscriber to a first data network for a network session rendered
to said terminal device when roaming in a second data network,
comprising the steps of registering said terminal device to said
second data network, transmitting a network address of a first
charging system related to said first data network from said first
data network to said second data network, establishing said network
session for said terminal device by said second data network,
assessing in said second data network first charge information
about said network session, transmitting said assessed charge
information from said second data network to said network address
of said first charging system, and calculating a charge for said
network session at said first charging system using said incoming
first charge information, wherein said step of transmitting said
network address of said first charging system from said first data
network to said second data network is performed before said step
of registering said terminal device to said second data
network.
2. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further steps of
saving said assessed first charge information about said network
session to a second charging system related to said second data
network, calculating a charge for said network session by second
charging system using said saved first charge information, charging
said charge for said network session to a first operator of said
first data network.
3. A method according to claim 2, in which said first charge
information saved to said second charging system is marked with a
flag indicating that said first charge information is related to a
subscriber of said first data network.
4. A method according to claim 2, in which said charge is charged
after termination of said network session.
5. A method according to claim 1, in which said first charge
information is a bearer charge information.
6. A method according to claim 1, in which said step of assessing a
first charge information in said second data network is performed
in near real-time or in real-time.
7. A method according to claim 1, in which said step of
transmitting said assessed first charge information from said
second data network to said network address of said first charging
system is performed in near real-time or in real-time.
8. A method according to claim 1, in which charging said account is
performed in near real-time or in real-time.
9. A method according to claim 1, in which charging said account is
performed online.
10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of
transmitting subscriber information from said first data network to
said second data network before said step of establishing said
network session.
11. A method according to claim 10 comprising, before said step of
establishing said network session between terminal device in said
second data network and said station in said third data network, a
further step of establishing a control network session between said
terminal device and said station, which control network session is
routed through a first network control node related to said first
data network.
12. A method according to claim 11 in which said first charge
information is transmitted via said control network session.
13. A method according to claim 1, with the further steps of
assessing first-operator charge information related to said network
session using said forwarded first charge information, transmitting
said assessed second-operator charge information to said network
address of said first charging system, and in which calculation of
charge for said network session by said first charging system is
performed using in addition said incoming first-operator charge
information.
14. A method according to claim 13, in which the step of assessing
first-operator charge information related to said network session
using said forwarded first charge information is performed in near
real-time or in real-time.
15. A method according to claim 13, in which the step of
transmitting said assessed second-operator charge information to
said network address of said first charging system is performed in
near real-time or in real-time.
16. A method according to claim 1, in which said subscriber is
subscribed to said first data network through a second network
operator, comprising the further steps of transmitting and saving
said network address of said first charging system from said first
data network to a server related to said second operator of said
first data network, forwarding from said first data network to said
server said first charge information received from said second data
network, assessing second-operator charge information related to
said network session using said forwarded first charge information,
transmitting said assessed second-operator charge information to
said network address of said first charging system, and in which
calculation of charge for said network session by said first
charging system is performed using in addition said incoming
second-operator charge information.
17. A method according to claim 16, comprising the further step of
transmitting said assessed operator charge information from said
server to a third charging system related to said second
operator.
18. A method according to claim 17, in which said operator charge
is charged after termination of said session by said third charging
system to said first operator of said first data network.
19. A method according to claim 16, in which said data networks are
packet switched radio data networks.
20. A method according to claim 1 in which said account charged is
a prepaid account.
21. A method according to claim 1 in which said steps of
calculation of a charge for said network session by said first
charging system using said incoming first charge information and
charging said account are performed in real-time.
22. A method according to claim 1 in which said network session is
established between said terminal device and a station in a third
data network, which station is, regarding said network session, an
originating or a terminating station.
23. A method according to claim 1, in which at least one of said
data networks is a radio data network.
24. A network system comprising a first data network, at least one
second data network, a first-network charging system related to
said first data network, and a first terminal device subscribed to
said first data network, wherein said first data network has a
first-network service assessment system communicating with a
second-network service assessment system in said second data
network and adapted to transmit a network address of said
first-network charging system to said second-network service
assessment system, and said second-network service assessment
system is adapted to assess and to transmit first charge
information during said network session to said first-network
charging system using said network address, wherein said
first-network service assessment system is additionally adapted to
performing said step of transmitting said network address of said
first charging system from said first data network to said second
data network before a step of registering said first terminal
device to said second data network.
25. A network system according to claim 24, comprising in addition
a second-network charging system related to said second network and
communicating with said second-network service assessment system,
in which said second-network service assessment system is
additionally adapted to transmit said first charge information
about said network session to said second-network charging
system.
26. A network system according to claim 24, comprising a
second-network session control system adapted to establish and
maintain a network session between the first network station and a
terminating or an originating second network station.
27. A network system according to claim 24, in which, to perform
said transmission of said first charge information from said
second-network service assessment system to said first-network
charging system, said second-network session control system is
additionally adapted to transmit said first charge information to
said first-network session control system, and said first-network
control system is additionally adapted to transmit said received
first charge information to said first-network charging system.
28. A network system according to claim 24, in which the
first-network charging system is adapted to transforming balance
information related to the first network station, the
transformation depending on the balance information and on the
incoming first charge information related to said first network
station.
29. A network system according to claim 28, in which the
first-network charging system is adapted to perform said
transformation in near real-time or real-time.
30. A network system according to claim 24, in which said
second-network service assessment system is adapted to assess and
to transmit in near real-time or real-time said first charge
information during said network session to said first-network
charging system using said network address.
31. A network system according to claim 24, in which said first
charge information is a bearer charger information.
32. A network system according to claim 24, in which said
first-network session control system is additionally adapted to
assess during said network session and to transmit to said
first-network charging system first-operator charge information
depending on said received charge information, and in which said
first-network charging system is adapted to transform said balance
information in additional dependence of said incoming
first-operator charge information.
33. A network system according to claim 24, which additionally
comprises a second-operator server which is related to said first
data network and communicates with said first-network call session
control system, and which is adapted to assess second-operator
charge information related to said network session using said first
charge information and to transmit said second-operator charge
information to said first-network charging system, and in which
said first-network charging system is adapted to transform said
balance information in additional dependence of said incoming
second-operator charge information.
34. A network system according to claim 33, comprising in addition
a second-operator charge system related to said first data network
and communicating with said second-operator server, in which said
second-operator server is additionally adapted to transmit
second-operator charge information about said network session to
said second-network charge system.
35. A network system according to claim 24 in which the first
charging system is adapted to apply a real-time transformation
algorithm to said types of incoming charge information.
36. A network system according to claim 24, in which said first and
second networks are GPRS Public Land Mobile Networks.
37. A network system according to claim 36, in which said
second-network session control system comprises a serving GPRS
support node (SGSN), a GPRS Internet Protocol backbone, and a
Gateway GPRS support node (GGSN).
38. A network system according to claim 37 in which said
second-network service assessment system is integrated into said
SGSN.
39. A second-network service assessment system in a second data
network, the second-network service assessment system comprising: a
receiver configured to receive a network address of a first-network
charging system from a first-network service assessment system in a
first data network; an assessor configured to assess first charge
information; and a transmitter configured to transmit the first
charge information during a network session to the first-network
charging system using the network address, wherein the receiver is
further configured to receive the network address of the first
charging system before a first terminal device has been registered
to the second data network, and wherein communications between the
second-network service assessment system and first-network service
assessment system are related to a registration of the first
terminal device to the second data network.
40. The second-network service assessment system according to claim
39, wherein the receiver and the transmitter are configured to
communicate with a second-network charging system related to the
second network, and wherein the transmitter is further configured
to transmit the first charge information about the network session
to the second-network charging system.
41. The second-network service assessment system according to claim
39, wherein the second-network service assessment system is
configured to assess and to transmit in near real-time or real-time
the first charge information during the network session to the
first-network charging system using the network address.
42. The second-network service assessment system according to claim
39, wherein the second-network service assessment system is
integrated into an SGSN.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and network system for
charging an account related to a terminal device of a subscriber to
a first data network for a network session rendered to the terminal
device when roaming in a second data network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Mobile telephony using a prepaid service has driven the growth of
penetration rates in data networks in many markets. A prepaid
service is a billing arrangement between an operator of a data
network and a customer, hereinafter also called subscriber, where
the subscriber deposits and amount of money in advance which is
subsequently used to pay for usage of network services like for
instance telephone calls, data transfer between a telephone or
computer and data resources in the internet. Such usage of data
network services will hereinafter be named network session.
To get full control of the customer credit, a prepaid service is
usually based on an on-line charging process. Charging is
understood as a set of functions whereby information related to a
chargeable event (charge information) is formatted and transferred
in order to make it possible to determine usage for which the
charged party may be billed. A chargeable event maybe the transport
of data between given terminal devices, e.g., telephones, handhelds
or computers, through the bearer network, or a service rendered
like establishing a radio transmission telephone session, or the
delivery of content, like for instance stock market data stored in
a database, etc. In an on-line charging process charging
information can affect, in real-time, the service rendered. An
on-line charging process therefore directly interacts with the
network session control.
Due to its success in existing markets prepaid functionality is
therefore an essential feature also for the growing third
generation (3G) networks. To date, however, existing mechanisms do
not allow providing full prepaid functionality to roaming
subscribers. Currently offered prepaid services are not flexibly
available in a visited network.
Some services use real-time charge calculation methods in which a
calculation algorithm is implemented in a terminal device, e.g. in
a chip integrated into a prepaid card. This method is expensive
because it requires the implementation of the algorithm in each
terminal device. It also restricts the flexibility of the charging
system of the network operator since the algorithm can usually not
be changed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,364 describes a data network and method
enabling real-time online charging of data network subscribers. The
network's charging system may also obtain temporary service
profiles for visiting roamers. For this the charging system
downloads customer service information for the roamer from a roamer
clearinghouse. The roamer's customer service information is then
entered into the network's charging system as a temporary customer
service profile and account for the roamer. As service is provided
to the roamer, the billing system recalculates the prepaid balance
or outstanding postpaid balance, and updates these parameters in
the roamer's temporary customer service profile. Once the roamer
stops receiving service from the host telephone service provider,
the updated customer service information is posted back to the
roamer clearinghouse.
This method has the disadvantage of requiring administrative effort
for running the roamer's clearinghouse and for keeping temporary
customer's files in the visited network. It is therefore
complicated and expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
simple method for online charging an account related to a terminal
device of a subscriber to a first data network for a network
session rendered to the terminal device that allows to provide full
and flexible pre-paid service when roaming in a second data
network. It is another object of the invention to provide a network
structure enabling in a simple way on-line charging of roaming
network subscribers.
This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 and a
network system according to claim 25.
According to the method of the invention, upon registration of a
terminal device subscribed to a first (home) data network to a
second (visited) data network a network address of a first charging
system related to the home data network of the terminal device is
transmitted from the home data network to the visited data network.
This network address uniquely identifies the first charging system
to the visited network. The network address is saved in the second
data network. When a network session is established for the
terminal device by the second data network, assessing of a first
charge information about the network session will begin in the
second data network in a real-time process. The saved network
address of the first charging system will be used for transmitting
the assessed first charge information from the second data network
to the first charging system. This process will continue as long as
the network session is maintained. The first charging system will
calculate the charge for the network session using incoming first
charge information from the second network. The account related to
the terminal device will be charged so that the balance of the
account is reduced by the charged amount.
The first charge information is charge-relevant information
pertaining to all the services rendered by the visited network in
establishing and maintaining the network session. It may be bearer
charge information. The assessed first charge information
transmitted from the second network to the first network comprises
subscriber information allowing to identify the terminal device
and/or the account related to it. Subscriber information may for
example be collected from the registration process of the roaming
terminal device or from a subscriber register (e.g. Home Location
Register (HLR) or Home Subscriber Server (HSS)) in the first data
network. The assessed first or bearer charge information may
comprise, for instance, calling and called telephone numbers, local
and remote node names, date, starting time, amount of transferred
data, and elapsed connection time of the call. The first charge
information may be transmitted in the form of a call detail record
(CDR).
The method of the invention breaks the as yet unquestioned habit of
keeping the network address of the charging system of a data
network as a secret to external networks. The network address of
the charging system is, in the method of this invention, included
to signaling also when network boundaries are crossed. This allows
enhancing and accelerating the charging mechanism in a manner that
is advantageous for both the customer and network operators in the
home and visited networks.
The method of the invention allows the customer to use an on-line
charging method for a roaming network session in the same manner as
for a session provided by the home network. The customer can make
full use of his prepaid credit amount without any change or
restriction in service as compared to usage of his home data
network. There is no additional manual registration process
necessary for a network session. The automatic registration of the
terminal device to the visited network may automatically start the
method of the invention.
The operator of the home data network has the advantage of
receiving within short time or immediately a feedback from the
visited network on the charges he will face for use of the visited
network by his customer. The charges to be paid by the operator of
the home network to the operator of the visited network are
balanced by the customer at the time of the session or immediately
after the session. The operator of the home data network therefore
remains in full control of his roaming customer's credit. He will
know immediately when the balance of the customer's account is
below a predetermined value. Furthermore, the operator may,
according to his own policy, trigger the customer by a message to
the terminal device to reload the prepaid account, cancel his
network service to the customer or decide to give the customer
further credit.
The step of assessing the first charge information in the second
data network, which is performed by monitoring the network session,
is preferably performed in near real-time or in real-time.
"Real-time" in this context means that the charge assessment
process is performed during the actual time that the related
network session occurs, in order that results of the process can be
used for immediately charging for the network session, and, if
desired by a network operator, also for controling the network
session. "Near real-time" means that there exists a certain delay
between an event during the network session and the related charge
assessment process, which delay is mostly due to data processing.
However, a near real-time assessment process shall also be used for
charging at least upon termination of the network session and, if
possible, also for controling it.
Preferably, also the step of transmitting assessed first charge
information from the second data network to the network address of
the first charging system is performed in near real-time or in
real-time. The accelerated processing involved in this embodiment
concerns the data processing before and after the actual
transmission process. The delay of the transmission process is, of
course, not avoidable.
The steps of calculating the charge for the network session using
incoming bearer charge information from the second network and of
charging the account related to the terminal device are preferably
performed in near real-time or real-time as well.
They may, however, also be delayed until the end of the network
session has been signaled in the received bearer charge
information.
The method of invention is most-preferably used for on-line
charging of a prepaid account. The method of the invention may,
with a slight change, also be used for on-line charging of roaming
customers having post-paid billing arrangements with the operator
of the first network. Instead of charging the customer's account
during the network session or immediately after it, the charge
information received from the visited data network may be saved and
processed by a post-paid billing system.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the method comprises the
further steps of saving the assessed first or bearer charge
information about the network session to a second charging system
related to the second data network, calculation of a first or
bearer charge for the network session by the second charging system
using the saved first or bearer charge information and charging the
first or bearer charge for the network session to a first operator
of the first data network. This allows checking that payment from
home network will be received. The mechanism enables charging using
visited networks postpaid charging through the second charging
system and home network prepaid charging through the first charging
system in a flexible way. The operator of the home network may
immediately pay the fraction of the calculated charge that goes to
the operator of the visited network or wait for a bill. Using the
method of this embodiment, there is no "surprise" for the operator
or the customer by bills received later from the visited network
due to the delayed billing system of the visited network. The
operator has already deducted the money due for the bill has from
the account of the subscriber using the online charging
process.
In another embodiment of the invention the step of transmitting the
network address of the charging system of the home network from the
first (home) data network to the visited data network is performed
before the step of registration of the terminal device to the
second (visited) data network. I.e., the transmission of the
address will happen irrespective of whether the terminal device
will visit the second network at all. However, the second network
can immediately recall the network address of the charging system
of the first network, once this or any other terminal device
subscribed to the first data network is roaming in the second
network. This embodiment is especially advantageous for network
alliances, i.e., contracting data networks guaranteeing each other
support of network services. The process step of transmitting the
network address of the charge system repeated for each registration
of a roaming customer to a visited network of the network alliance
is in this embodiment replaced by a single transmission of the
address. The visited network may in this method store the network
address of the first charging system (and that of other data
networks) in a database.
In another preferred embodiment, the method comprises the further
steps of assessing first-operator charge information related to the
network session using the forwarded first or bearer charge
information and transmitting the assessed second-operator charge
information to the network address of the first charging system.
Furthermore, calculation of charge for the network session by the
first charging system is performed using in addition the incoming
first-operator charge information. In this method the operator of
the first network can immediately charge for use of the mobile
phone if his policy provides for this possibility. The steps
mentioned above are preferably performed in near real-time or even
real-time. This method further increases the flexibility of the
online charging mechanism of the invention.
Another preferred embodiment extends the applicability of the
method of the invention to the frequent constellation in which
usage of the services of the first network is provided to the
customer through a third party, in the following also called second
network operator. This embodiment comprises the further steps of
transmitting and saving the network address of the first charging
system from the first data network to a server related to the
second operator of the first data network, forwarding in real-time
from the first data network to the server the first or bearer
charge information received from the second data network, assessing
second-operator charge information related to the network session
using the forwarded first or bearer charge information, and
transmitting the assessed second-operator charge information to the
network address of the first charging system. In this method, the
calculation of the charge for the network session by the first
charging system is performed using in addition the incoming
second-operator charge information. Preferably, a near real-time or
real-time implementation of this process is used.
This embodiment may in a similar manner as described above be
extended by the further step of transmitting the assessed operator
charge information from the server to a third charging system
related to the second operator. The third charging system may
output bills to the first network operator at a later stage or only
be used to control the mutual payments between the first and second
operators of the home network.
The method is applicable in many data network constellations. For
instance, the network session may be established between the
terminal device and a station in a third data network, which
station may be, regarding the network session, a requested or a
requesting station. Thus, the method of the invention is applicable
for situations in which the roaming terminal device is the
requesting partner as well as in alternative situations in which
the roaming terminal device is the partner requested from a station
subscribed to a third network. Also in the latter case the visited
network will charge the home network to which the terminal device
is subscribed for the providing the network session. The charge due
may, however be negotiated between the operator of the home network
and the operator of the third network.
In another preferred embodiment, there is a further step of
establishing a control network session between the terminal device
and the requesting or requested station in the third data network
before the step of establishing the network session between the two
terminal devices. The control network session is routed through a
first network control node in the first data network. This
embodiment allows transmitting the first or bearer charge
information via the control network session.
The method of the invention is preferably applied to radio data
networks, but may also be applied to cable networks. The method of
the invention is most advantageous when the mentioned data networks
are packet switched radio data networks, like GPRS (General Packet
Radio Services) or UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications
System) networks.
According to another aspect of the invention, the problem is solved
by the network system of claim 19. It comprises a first data
network, a second data network, a first-network charging system
related to the first data network, and a first terminal device
subscribed to the first data network. The second data network has a
second-network session control system adapted to establishing and
maintaining a network session between the first terminal device and
a requested or a requesting second terminal device. Further, a
second-network service assessment system communicating with the
second-network session control system is provided. It is adapted to
assessing first or bearer charge information about the network
session and transmitting it to the first-network charging system.
The first-network charging system is adapted to transformation of
balance information related to the first terminal device, the
transformation depending on the balance information and on the
incoming first or bearer charge information related to said first
terminal device. For instance, given a previous balance of the
account the transformation is performed calculating the difference
between the previous balance and a charge calculated from the
incoming charge information using a predetermined formula.
In the network structure of the invention, the first data network
has a first-network service assessment system communicating with a
second-network service assessment system in the second data
network. The first-network service assessment system is adapted to
transmit a network address of a first-network charging system to
the second-network service assessment system. The second-network
service assessment system is adapted to assess and to transmit
first charge information during the network session to the
first-network charging system using the network address.
With this network structure according to the invention, charging
for roaming becomes fully functional for a subscriber of the first
(home) data network also when roaming in the second data
network.
The advantages of this network system are reflected in the
advantages of the method of the invention described above. By the
network system of the invention on-line call accounting can be
handled within the home network.
It is noted that there may be more than two data networks in the
network structure of the invention. Given a home data network of a
subscriber, this home data network will have the elements of the
first data network mentioned above, and the other ("visited") data
networks of the network structure will have the elements of the
second data network.
Both home and visited data networks may, in addition, have the
elements of both first and second data networks so as to be able to
allow online prepaid functionality to subscribers of all the data
networks comprised by the network structure of the invention when
roaming. For instance, the second data network will in this case
also be equipped with a related charging system with properties
corresponding to those of the first-network charging system
mentioned above.
Preferably, the second network has a second-network session control
system adapted to establish and maintaining a network session
between the first network station and a terminating or an
originating second network station.
In a preferred embodiment the network system comprises in addition
a second-network charging system related to the second network and
communicating with the second-network service assessment system.
The second-network service assessment system is additionally
adapted to transmit first or bearer charge information about the
network session to the second-network charging system. This
charging system is adapted to collecting the first or bearer charge
information (CDRs) and extracting from it billing information that
may be used for billing the operator of the first network later.
The second-network charging system of this embodiment does
therefore not make use of real-time charging mechanisms described
above with reference to the first-network charging system. Thus, a
second charging mechanism with the first data network is provided
in addition to the online charging mechanism of the subscriber.
This gives increased safety and billing control to the operator of
the second network.
The network system of the invention makes it also simpler to offer
services from a second operator ("3rd party") of the home network
when the subscriber is roaming. In a preferred embodiment of the
network structure, therefore, the network system additionally
comprises a second-operator server, which is related to the first
network and communicates with the first-network call session
control system. The second-operator server is adapted to assessing
in real-time second-operator charge information related to the
network session using the first or bearer charge information and to
transmitting in real-time the second-operator charge information to
the first-network charging system. In this embodiment the first or
bearer charge information is preferably forwarded in real-time to
the second-operator server by the first-network session control
system. The first-network charging system of this embodiment is
adapted to the transformation of the balance information in
additional dependence of the incoming second-operator charge
information. In this embodiment the offered charging profiles can
be more sophisticated, as there is no need to assume support from
the visited network or the 3rd party.
Further advantageous developments are defined in the dependent
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following, the present invention will be described in
greater detail based on a preferred embodiment with reference to
the drawings figures, in which:
FIG. 1 shows in the form of a schematic diagram a first embodiment
of a GPRS-based network system; and
FIG. 2 shows in the form of a schematic diagram a second embodiment
of a GPRS-based network system.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A first preferred embodiment will now be described on the basis of
a network structure according to FIG. 1.
A terminal device, in this case a mobile station (MS) 1, for
instance a mobile phone, is registered for a subscriber A for use
of a first data network 10, hereinafter also called A's Home Public
Land Mobile Network (A-HPLMN). A-HPLMN 10 is a GPRS network.
Details of the network structure of GPRS networks are well known
and only shown here as far as they are relevant for the present
invention. The network structure of the present invention can be
implemented in any GPRS network known from prior art. In the
embodiment of FIG. 1 it is assumed for simplicity that only one
network operator offers the network services of A-HPLMN 10, and not
any third party. Another preferred embodiment of the network
structure of the present invention in which services of A-HPLMN 10
are offered also by a third party will be described below with
reference to FIG. 2.
A-HPLMN 10 comprises a Serving Call State Control Function (S-CSCF)
12 and an Interrogating Call State Control Function (I-CSCF) 14.
A-SCSCF12 and A-ICSCF14 are connected to exchange signaling
information for session control.
A-SCSCF12 functions to control network services rendered to
subscribers. Session control services rendered by A-SCSCF12
comprise registration, session control, proxy server functionality,
i.e., accepting and either servicing internally or forwarding
session requests, generation of call detail records (CDRs), and
providing subscribers online with billing information. In
generating CDRs, A-SCSCF12 works as a service assessment system for
A-HPLMN 10. Instead of A-SCSCF12 there may be a plurality of SCSCFs
within A-HPLMN 10 each performing one or several of the mentioned
services and/or other known services not mentioned here.
A-ICSCF14 is the first point of contact in the home network for all
connections destined to a terminal device of A-HPLMN 10, like MS 1.
It is also the contact point for all connections destined to a
roaming subscriber currently located within A-HPLMN 10. It serves
to route call requests and forwards SIP (Session Initiation
Protocol) requests to determined other S-CSCFs.
Use of the A-HPLMN 10 by MS 1 is charged with the aid of a charging
system in the form of an online charging function (A-OCF) 16 to a
prepaid account related to MS 1 and to subscriber A.
The network structure of the present embodiment further comprises a
second GPRS network 18, hereinafter also called Visited Public Land
Mobile Network 18 (V-PLMN). As for A-HPLMN 10, details of the
network structure of V-PLMN 18 are only shown as far as they are
relevant for the present invention.
V-PLMN 18 has a GPRS backbone 20 connecting a Serving GPRS Serving
Node (V-SGSN) 22 with a Gateway GPRS Serving Node (V-GGSN) 24. The
V-SGSN 22 keeps track of the individual MSs' location and performs
security functions and access control. The V-GGSN 24 provides
interworking with external packet-switched networks. Another
network element shown is a Proxy Call State Control Function 26
(V-PCSCF). V-PCSCF 26 finds the home network for a roaming terminal
device, relays messages to the corresponding S-CSCF at the home
network and provides some translation, security and authorization
functions.
For offline charging V-PLMN 18 is communicating with a Charging
Collection Function (CCF) 28. CCF 28 performs charging functions
for post paid billing in much the same way as A-OCF 16, which will
be described below.
Also shown is B-HPLMN 30, the home GPRS network of a subscriber B,
to which a network session shall be established.
It is noted that for reasons of simplicity charging for the network
service provided by B-HPLMN 30 is not taken into account in FIG. 1
nor in the embodiment of FIG. 2 below. However, the necessary
provisions are obvious from what is described here.
B-HPLMN 30 comprises a Serving Call State Control Function
(B-SCSCF) 32 communicating with a Proxy Call State Control Function
34 (B-PCSCF), a Gateway GPRS Serving Node (V-GGSN) 36, and IP GPRS
backbone 38 and a Serving GPRS Serving Node (B-SGSN) 40. A mobile
station 42 is registered to B-HPLMN 30 for a subscriber B.
Thus, when MS 1 requests a network session the request is forwarded
in a control session through V-SGSN 22, V-GPRS IP backbone 20 and
V-GGSN 24 to V-PCSCF 26. V-PCSCF 26 establishes control session
communication with A-HPLMN 10 through A-SCSCF 12 and A-ICSCF 14.
A-ICSCF 14 connects to B-SCSCF 32 from where the request is
forwarded through B-PCSCF 34, B-GGSN 36, B-GPRS backbone 38 and
B-SGSN 40 to MS 42. Dashed-line arrows in FIG. 2 show routing of
the control session. Fat solid-line arrows show routing of the data
network session from MS1 to MS 42.
Upon establishing of the data session V-SGSN 22 starts a charging
session to V-CCF 28. In addition, an online charging session to
A-OCF 16 is started which is symbolized in FIG. 1 by a thin
solid-line arrow 44. The address of A-OCF 16 has been downloaded to
V-SGSN 22. For the online charging session, the call detail records
(CDRs) created by V-SGSN 22 are routed along the control session
connection to A-SCSCF 12. A-SCSF 12 forwards the incoming CDRs to
A-OCF 16.
A-SCSCF 12 also sends its own CDRs containing operator charge
information to A-OCF-16. The thin solid-line arrow 46 represents
this real-time online charging session between A-SCSCF 12 and
A-OCF-16.
Operator charges may comprise bearer charges for use of the home
GPRS network 10, session charges for individual sessions hosted by
A-HPLMN, and event charges for services used related to certain
events, for instance, transmission of audio and/or video data
related to a concert, television program, etc. Session charges and
event charges are included in the operator charge information
mentioned above.
Charging the account of MS 1 using A-OCF 16 is performed by a
charging process in which charging information can affect in
real-time the service rendered. A-OCF 16 therefore directly
interacts with the session control at the A-SCSCF12.
The charging information arriving at A-OCF 16 takes the form of
CDRs containing a record of voice or data switched virtual circuits
(SVCs) including the calling and called telephone numbers, local
and remote node names, date, starting time, amount of transferred
data, and elapsed connection time of the call.
By applying a predetermined real-time transformation algorithm to
the incoming CDRs A-OCF 16 transforms incoming charging information
related to MS 1 into accounting information that represents an
amount of money to be charged to the account related to MS 1.
The incoming charging information in the embodiment of FIG. 1 is
bearer charge information from V-HPLMN 18 and operator charge
information from A-SCSCF12. Which transformation algorithm is used
to determine the charge for the current network session may depend
on further subscriber information. The subscriber information may
for instance include special charging conditions for use of MS1 at
certain times, places, for certain kinds of network session, etc.
The A-OCF 16 therefore communicates with a subscriber information
register or database (not shown).
In a real-time accounting process the accounting information is
used by A-OCF 16 to transform and store the balance information
related to the account of MS1. That means, the calculated charge is
subtracted from the previous balance and the corresponding new
balance is stored.
In practice, implementation of the A-OCF 16 may take the form of a
charging gateway (CG), or A-HPLMN 10 communicating with an external
CG. A-OCF 16 is sometimes also named Prepaid Server.
A second preferred embodiment of the network structure of the
invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 2. The
network structure of FIG. 2 resembles that of FIG. 1. Therefore,
the same reference numbers will be used for corresponding elements.
The following description concentrates on the differences between
the network structures of FIGS. 1 and 2.
In addition to the network structure of FIG. 1 the present
embodiment comprises a server 48 related to a second operator
(3.sup.rd party) of H-PLMN 10. The second operator provides
enhanced services to subscriber A and may himself be considered a
subscriber of H-PLMN 10. For his additional service, the second
operator will charge subscriber A. To achieve this, server 48
communicates with A-SCSCF 12. The server 48 is adapted to assessing
in real-time second-operator charge information related to the
network session using the bearer charge information. The
second-operator charge information in the form of a CDR is
transmitted in real-time to A-OCF 16 through A-SCSCF 12. In this
embodiment the server obtains the bearer charge information from
V-SGSN 22 through A-SCSCF 12.
A-OCF 16 is in this embodiment is adapted to the transformation of
the balance information in additional dependence of the incoming
second-operator CDRs.
In addition to the online charging process just described the CDRs
communicated to A-OCF 16 will also be transmitted to a Charge
Collection Function (O-CCF) 50. O-CCF 50 corresponds to V-CCF 28
and provides the same functions to the second operator as V-CCF 28
does the operator of V-PLMN 18, as described with reference to FIG.
1.
It is noted that the present invention is not restricted to the
specific features of the above preferred embodiment, but can be
used in all types of communications networks such as GSM systems
including circuit switched or packet switched systems. The
invention is of course also applicable to any other communication
network effecting mobile or fixed communication. Particularly, the
invention is also applicable to pure packet switched networks like
the future IP-based networks. Any kind of party's identifier data
and party's equipment identifier data may be stored in the
database, based on which the correspondence is checked and new
entries are added. The preferred embodiment may thus vary within
the scope of the attached claims.
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